New state teacher evaluations ruffle feathers

Criteria focuses on student achievement, classroom observations

Las Cruces High School English teacher Lauren Curry works on a lesson with her class. (Robin Zielinski Sun-News)

LAS CRUCES >> New state-mandated teacher evaluations are rolling out this fall despite concerns from districts across New Mexico.

Though administrators and teachers praise some components of the evaluation, like the standardized classroom observation criteria, they say they didn't have enough time and information to develop evaluations. Some components are still being developed and refined, they say, even while the districts are implementing them.

"No one is afraid of being held accountable," said Nancy Patterson, Deming Public Schools associate superintendent for human resources. "It's just the way it's all being quickly mandated."

Las Cruces school board member Bonnie Votaw likened the implementation to "building the airplane while we're in it."

Interim Education Secretary Hanna Skandera, meanwhile, says the changes have been years in the making and are required under the state's No Child Left Behind waiver.

"Too often there are politics that get in the way of doing what's right for our kids," Skandera said. "It's time to draw a line in the sand and say, 'It's time to deliver.'"

Why the change

Student achievement now totals half of teachers' evaluation, which also includes classroom observation and district-chosen measures such as teacher attendance, parent and student surveys and final exams.

Teacher attendance

One component of LCPS' evaluation has drawn ire from school board members and teachers alike.

The district submitted teachers' "above and beyond" work, such as being a club adviser or working toward an advanced degree, as its district-chosen component. PED denied the option, giving LCPS a few days to make a new choice.

After quickly talking with five or six other districts, LCPS discovered only one district's component had been approved: teacher attendance, said Elizabeth Marrufo, LCPS associate superintendent for human resources development.

"It was kind of hit or miss at the time," she said. "We did what we did based on the information we had."

Absences for jury duty, legitimate illnesses, family medical leave and other circumstances would not count against a teacher.

PED approved the plan. But school board members and teachers questioned the district's choice at a recent meeting.

Board member Maria Flores said she would have been considered an ineffective teacher if attendance were part of her evaluation.

"Something like this is almost punitive," she said. "We should not retaliate for (teachers) taking a mental health day."

The board requested Superintendent Stan Rounds ask PED if the district can change its evaluation components.

Now, LCPS is considering parent and student surveys in place of attendance, an option SCSD chose.

"We just felt like it was important for us to have it for our teachers," Associate Superintendent Gus Benakis said.

LCPS' change still must be discussed with the school board and approved by PED.

Moving forward

The evaluations are currently not aligned with LCPS' agreement with the union, however.

"We're required to uphold our PED directives because our licenses are on the line," Marrufo said. "We're stuck between a rock and a hard spot. We have to implement the rule, which is not in compliance with the bargaining agreement."

Teachers have the right to negotiate their terms and conditions of employment. Evaluations are a condition of employment, Fraass said.

"As a district, we're required to follow it, but it doesn't jive," he said.

Fraass said he didn't expect problems as the district has talked with the union about potential issues. The agreement will need to be re-negotiated next year, he said.

Las Cruces board members and administrators repeatedly criticized the new evaluation system during the recent board meeting.

"We're not excited to be giving away how we evaluate teachers to a state-designed tool," Rounds said.

But the districts have no control over whether they comply, he said.

"They're pushing us into a corner here," board member Chuck Davis said. "And I don't think that's right for students."